Bright future for truckingHeavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods over intercity routes, often spanning several states.Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers must have a Commercial Driver's License and must usually have a high school diploma and two years of related work experience.The median annual wage of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $37,770 in May 2010. Trucks transport most of the freight in the U.S., and employment for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is projected to grow 21 percent from roughly 1.6 million jobs in 2010 to more than 1.9 million jobs in 2020.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

FREEPORT — Larry McIntyre didn't expect to recruit any prospective job candidates Wednesday. After all, he was preaching the benefits of a career in truck driving to elementary school students at Jones Farrar Magnet School.

It was simply an afternoon of ambassadorship for the owner of Quality Transport, a long-haul trucking company that McIntyre has owned and operated in Freeport for 20 years. He parked a semi-trailer truck in the school parking lot Wednesday and gave a show-and-tell talk for 72 students who are studying transportation.

"I just love this hands-on stuff," McIntyre said. "It's so important for these kids — seeing, feeling and touching gives you a better understanding of what you're learning. They're probably too young to really appreciate trucking. Sometimes, I think this industry is taken for granted. But let's face it, everything we touch — from your TV to your desk — was transported on a truck from one place to another."

McIntyre needs to be thinking ahead. The aging work force of his industry is helping drive demand for trucking jobs. The 44 drivers in his employ are, on average, in their mid- to upper 40s.

"We have anywhere from 5 to 10 percent turnover a year, which is pretty low," McIntyre said. "But turnover is much higher not just in northern Illinois, but throughout the nation. A lot of companies are trying to attract younger drivers, and it is very difficult."

Truck driving is not a glamorous job. The hours can be crazy, and it's not particularly safe when the weather is adverse. Trucking companies often struggle to find drivers who can pass a drug test and have the necessary experience and a clean driving record.

The pay is what makes this job attractive. The U.S. Department of Labor says the median yearly wage for tractor-trailer drivers is $37,770, with some drivers earning more than $57,000.

Employment for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is projected to grow 21 percent between 2010 and 2020, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Labor Department. And if the slow economic recovery speeds up, demand for goods will increase and more truck drivers will be needed to keep supply chains moving.

Rockford and Freeport are within a 15-county area of northern Illinois that should add 173 more truck driver jobs by 2015, according to economic forecast models commissioned by Rock Valley College. Starting hourly wages for those jobs is pegged at $18.70.

Highland Community College has witnessed strong demand for its four-week truck driver certification program, which costs $4,066. Its next class begins Nov. 25.

"If a student is willing to go over the road, they can get a job quickly," said Sarah Duran, admissions representative for HCC's program.

Page 2 of 2 - "Some companies offer pre-hire letters based off of students' information even before they graduate. So students know what company they will be going to by the time they graduate."

More lucrative cross-country and long-haul trucking jobs offer better pay but are harder to come by, McIntyre said. New hires at Quality Transport must provide two years of documented long-haul experience.